HMS Speedy by NewbyMark - Vanguard Models - Scale 1:64

[GrandpaPhil]

Why give up?  Your Speedy looks good and you’ve already done the hard part.

 

If you don’t like the copper, remove it.  An alternate paint scheme is to paint the bottom a dingy white color (the old leaded paint that was used in the 17th and 18th centuries).  

Conversely, metallic copper paint also looks good on the bottom of a wood vessel, I’ve used it for a couple of models.

 

I used copper tape for my Victory and my Prince de Neufchatel.  It worked beautifully.  Please feel free to check out my build logs on how I did it.  The build log for the Prince de Neufchatel is probably more helpful, because I had figured it out by then.

[NewbyMark]

35 minutes ago, GrandpaPhil said:

Why give up?  Your Speedy looks good and you’ve already done the hard part.

 

If you don’t like the copper, remove it.  An alternate paint scheme is to paint the bottom a dingy white color (the old leaded paint that was used in the 17th and 18th centuries).  

Conversely, metallic copper paint also looks good on the bottom of a wood vessel, I’ve used it for a couple of models.

 

I used copper tape for my Victory and my Prince de Neufchatel.  It worked beautifully.  Please feel free to check out my build logs on how I did it.  The build log for the Prince de Neufchatel is probably more helpful, because I had figured it out by then.

Appreciate your comments, but I don't have it in me to strip it and start a third time. And as an experienced automotive modeller, I know I won't be able to get the base good enough to paint now it's been covered in glue, and I wouldn't be happy with it anyway. I think on balance it's better to write it off as a learning experience.

 

I'm ok with it. I've learned a lot getting to this stage, and I admire well applied copper in some of the ships I see on this site. I just wasn't able to achieve it here to my satisfaction. Just to restate, it was nothing at all to do with the quality of the kit and everything to do with my skill level. 

 

Best of luck with your builds and thanks for the positive comments.

 

Cheers, Mark.

[clearway]

shame but if your heart isn't in it mark it wont get finished- you can always go back to her (my cutty sark stayed 3/4 finished for 14 years)!

 

Keith

[glbarlow]

I don’t copper ships anymore, historical or not. I don’t like the look or the work. 
 

Don’t quit, remove all the copper, sand it smooth (there’s plenty of wood to do so, wood isn’t plastic. You can get the glue off), and paint it Matt White below the waterline. Check out the photos in my signature for Nelson or Pegasus. I only do white stuff hulls. 
 

The thing with modeling is rarely does everything go according to plan. Adapt and overcome is what makes it fun. 
 

Hang in there. We’ve all done our first model ...

Edited May 3, 2020 by glbarlow

[VTHokiEE]

I’m sorry to hear about this; I had been enjoying your build a lot. I’ve never done any coppering and while I can understand your reasoning I think that you were doing a good job. I’ll keep an eye out for your next build!

[ccoyle]

Well, I understand completely about not having one's heart in a model, but still I would lean toward stripping off the copper and going for the white stuff, which was known back in the day as "white stuff." Like Glenn said, you could easily sand down that hull. After a nice paint job, no one would have a clue about its thrice-done history.

 

Cheers!

[James H]

2 hours ago, NewbyMark said:

Well after completing the rest of the copper I've decided to abandon this project. Nothing at all to do with the kit, I just don't like the copper at all and can't see myself displaying this model so can't see much point in devoting more time or money to completing it. It's a great kit, really well designed and thought out and in better hands than mine will undoubtedly build into a great model. Thanks to everyone for their help, especially Chris for the support and sending more parts. Maybe I'll have a go at something else - this just turned out not to be for me.

 

But it looks fine! Don't beat yourself up!

[tom kinglake]

Hi Mark,

Exactly the same happened to me a couple of weeks ago - I coppered the entire starboard side of my HMS Pegasus, didn't like what I had spent 2 days doing, and pulled the lot off again in  half an hour (used a pair of thin nose pliers).  I found that removing the glue residue was possible, though quite hard work, but for the time being I put on 2 coats of acrylic paint (matt white plus yellow ochre), which before long can come off again when I get round to completing the sanding down of the rough parts of the surface (in the meantime, the roughness gives it quite a convincingly worn & weathered look, I thought!) Have a look at the pics in my Pegasus build log. But don't give up!!!

Best wishes,

Tom.

[Vane]

If u dont like the copper it should be easy to turn it into the Flirt and paint the hull white instead. 

[Tankerman]

Before you give up, which would be a real shame why not try a method I have used in the past. 

Spray your copper plating with matt varnish with a drop of matt green paint added to it and it will tone everything down. It doesn't look too bad and certainly won't draw your attention the problem that only you can see.

 

[NewbyMark]

Thanks for all the positive encouragement. This wasn't my first model and it won't be my last, but I did learn that copper is not something I am going to do again. Again, not the fault of the kit at all. Reluctantly it's gone to the great shipyard in the sky today as stripping it and sanding it yet again when the hull was already thin was not appealing. But I will try again with a different subject and would unreservedly recommend Vanguard models. But you don't need me to tell you that 🙂

 

You either succeed or learn. In this case I've learned! 

[ErnieL]

Oh man. Instead of binning the thing, I'm sure someone here would love to finish it off.